OT: Bad Attitudes in the Work Place

[Chopper]

My friends and I always talk about the film Office Space. I think we find it extremely hilarious because we can all relate to how much bs the characters in the film have to put up with.

Every day at my job I have to put up with people who have bad attititudes. They are extremely unprofessional in their behavior and set a bad example for their peers. For example today I called a sergeant and got another one that doesn't like me and she informed me that the person I was trying to reach was gone and called my rank and name in a very snide manner.
Some people act like you are disturbing them, or that you're the biggest pain in the ass when all you are trying to do is do your job.

Is there anyone else out there that has a job that deals with people a lot? And if so are you constantly faced with professionals who wear a uniform or position of prestige and authority, yet they act like babies when you make them get off their ass and do their job? And if so, any advice on how you deal with these types?

Sorry, it's just another monday I suppose.



Post Edited (06-07-04 14:41)

[BeyondTheGrave]

this is such a coindence chopper the same thing  happeing to me with some officers and cadets in NYPD academy. i had a "sergeant" call my house.  she told me to come to the police academy and have my paperwork. so i went thier not only she wasnt there but a police officer had attitude saying i dont know why iam here when i told him why. then i find shes not even a sergeant but a cadet! now that a big difference.

i wasted a trip to manhattan and i dont live close i live and work  in queens. now i have plenty of stories of NYPD police academy morons(to be honest i only encounter this stupidty at the police academy the rest of the department are well trained and are the best at what they do). my advice is to make sure if they do something wrong bring it up to thier superiors. i know it sound like being a rat but when other officer called me i said that the cadet ID herself as a sergeant next time this "sergeant" called me she ID herself as "cadet".



"I know I know ive been exposed permeant psychoses..
at least the colors are nice"- Aeon Flux

[ulthar]

You know what they say: "90% of the work is done by 10% of the people."

Actually, a big motivator to my leaving my last 'job' and starting my own business was the crap at work.  I hated that job.  There were approximately 100 employees, and you could count on your hands the number that if they left, you'd miss em (not personally, but for productivity reasons).  There really were only about 5 out of the 100 that were hard chargers who you really could count on.

Ideally, the best solutions: (1) do YOUR job as best as you can.  (2) Let them burn out on their own negativity.  You can control you, but not others.

It's really tough when their crap hinders you getting your thing done.

Good Luck.

[Chopper]

Wow self-empolyment ulthar, I admire you. The phrase alone sounds like the closest thing to utopia LoL.

So how did you come about getting self-employed? Any degree you could recommend? Any secret societies or cults I can join? (j/k).

[Chopper]

yeah rich i hear you. in all government run organizations you will be faced with this stuff. i'll probably just tell my commander if it happens again. but he's already been briefed on this certain organization's s**tty attitude in the past.

[jmc]

Had to deal with this crap in the Post Office all the time....so glad I'm out of that place.  It wasn't that some people wouldn't work, though there were definitely quite a few who didn't, but the social BS that went on with managers playing favorites.
There was also a lot of abuse of laws like FMLA, etc.  If you had a child or dependent parent or could get a doctor to say you had some kind of medical condition [migraines were the most popular] you could call in sick to your heart's content and not have to worry about anyone saying anything.  One lady was our superviror's favorite and could complain about the rest of us not doing anything when she would seldom work a full week and when she did she would look busy while the rest of us did the real work.

Now that I'm out of government service things haven't changed too much---there's a little more accountability for people's actions, but still a lot of rude behavior and people not being aware how much their not paying attention to things like being at your work station or coming back from breaks on time affect everyone else.   It's more of a problem with the younger employees, though there's one older lady who is just as bad.  The big problem is that management could really have the power to do something in this situation but they are too passive and choose not to do anything--guess it's too much hassle for them, and I guess it probably is better to just try to work with someone instead of taking a chance on hiring someone else that you'll have to train, etc.  

I work in retail at a book/music store.   My biggest pet peeve though is rude/stupid customers--also the various con artists who try to run scams, steal, etc.  But neither of those really make up a big percentage--it's usually just on the weekends when unpleasant things happen.  It's in an upscale shopping center--neither I nor any of my co-workers make enough money to be able to shop at any of the other stores, though that doesn't keep customers from thinking we should know about every single store in the place.

Still prefer my current job to my old postal one, even if I now make less than half what I did then.  The hours are much better, the people are much easier to work with, and the junior high type stuff is probably not any worse than it was at my old job.  It was more ridiculous at my old job because there were forty and fiftysomethings acting like 12-year olds.  It's a little more understandable when it's 19 and 20 year olds doing it.  Still irritating, though!

[Deej]

I just read, in a FOP publication, that 90% of Police Officers who were polled, said that if they were to leave the field, it would be due to poor supervisors. I get on well with most of the officers on my shift, and I've really lucked out with my Division command. So, as far as co-workers go, not many problems. That may have to do with the fact that we are highly dependant upon each other.

However, sometimes it is a constant struggle not to stick my size 12 Bates Oxford up John Q's ass!!!  I like people( in general), and most people are thoughtful and considerate and easy to work with. But some people....ya just want to hammer-punch in the clavicle!! I think some of the other PO's on the board can sympathize with me! I imagine that anyone in customer service or any profession that involves a good deal of interaction with the public, can also relate.

[Eirik]

I hear you, man.  The maintenance people are the worst.  Their big joke in my building is whenever anyone asks them to do something they say: "What?  For free?"  It was funny the first half dozen times.  By the thousandth time you just want to say, No jerkoff, not for free - for your hourly freaking wage.

There's a guy on my team who is a piece of work.  He likes being in the job he has and likes to swagger around like he's one of the head bulls in the office when in fact, he never produces anything.  He's always condescending to anyone with less time in even though people on the job less than a year generally produce more (and better) products than he does.  I am now his arch-enemy since I was made team lead.  I have found the worst office archetype there is: the passive aggressive lazy-ass.  Anytime I talk to him he's all gung-ho talking like he's about to go out and climb Mt Everest.  I come back a week later to find none of the work done and it's one excuse after another.  My boss is slowly moving toward the conclusion that this guy needs to go.  I'm trying to push him in that direction, but not too hard lest I be labeled myself.

[Chopper]

That is a rough decision Eirik. But what's this guys deal? Does he have a family or anyone else to support?

[Chopper]

"I imagine that anyone in customer service or any profession that involves a good deal of interaction with the public, can also relate."

Believe me Deej can we ever, although I must admit you probably deal with a lot more stupid people on a daily basis that most of us. Clavicle huh? I'm more of a bridge of the nose kind of guy!

[ulthar]

Self employment is not for everybody.  There are down sides like everything else.  But for me, it is about as close to utopia as I think I will ever find.  I love it.  Sometimes I think about going 'back to work,' and the thought causes me stomach aches.

Part of the secret is to do something you love.  Also, as I can say from experience learn about business stuff and plan very carefully.  I've been self employed for four years now, and I am having to seek some outside assistance with some of my 'business matters.'  It seems I'm pretty good at what the business does, but have a lot of business stuff to learn.  I'm told that's very, very common.

Overall, it's great.  For me at least.

[Jay]

Self employment is not for everybody

It's a fine line between self- employment and unemployment

[ulthar]

Jay wrote:

 
> It's a fine line between self- employment and unemployment

Very true.  Very, very true.

[maria paula]

"Is there anyone else out there that has a job that deals with people a lot? And if so are you constantly faced with professionals who wear a uniform or position of prestige and authority, yet they act like babies when you make them get off their ass and do their job? And if so, any advice on how you deal with these types?"

since im a resident doctor.............................. every single day of  the week, and it looks like it will be that way everyday of my life till the day i get retired.



Post Edited (06-08-04 16:54)

[curiocat]

even in retail people have bad attitudes.  maybe there all friendly out on the floor, but in the back they can be rude.

I just smile and try and do my work the best I can.